Arabian nights right at home

Morocco is a land of beauty, history, and wonder but you may not immediately think of it as a country with great food. However, because of all the influences from surrounding areas, Morocco has a cuisine rich in history and culture. Here are some great Moroccan recipes to help you start to explore the exotic flavors of the region.

Traditional Moroccan Cuisine

Spices

Spices are very important in Moroccan cuisine. Cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, pepper, paprika, anise, sesame seed, saffron, mint, and coriander are just some examples of spices that show up in a lot of Moroccan dishes.

Meat/Poultry/Seafood

Morocco happens to be a country that produces an abundance of lamb, cow, and chicken. They also have lots of different seafood such as shrimp, squid, sardines, sea bass, and cuttlefish among many other fish. These meats are the typically served as the main course in a tagine (which is a Moroccan cooking vessel, but it is also a type of dish). They can also be served mixed with couscous which is served after the main course.

Couscous and Salads

Couscous and hot or cold salads are often served with the meal as well. The salads are typically made with either raw or cooked vegetables (eggplant is a very popular vegetable) and are eaten with bread. Couscous is usually served warm with a meat or vegetable stew served over top of it. Chickpeas are also a very popular Moroccan ingredient and these are often found in the salads and couscouse.

Bread

Just about every meal in Morocco is eaten with the hands and bread is used as a utensil. Because Moroccan cuisine has a lot of stews, the bread is used to soak up the juices. Typically, the bread (which is called Khobz) is round and fairly flat and has a nice crispy crust.

Beverages

The most popular drink in Morocco is mint tea which is served after just about every meal. Orange juice and coffee are also popular Moroccan beverages.